New Members Port Townsend Harbor to Watch the Start of the Race in June
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Ship-to-ShoreShip-to-Shore The South Sound Sailing Society’s Newsletter Volume 45 Issue 2 October 2015 www.ssssclub.com/ssss.htm October Meeting: You asked for it, you got it! Way back in May, Jake Beattie came down from Port Townsend’s Northwest Maritime Welcome Center to reveal to us his vision of a race unlike any other: the Race to Alaska, open to any mode of propulsion that was non-motorized. Several Members braved the very early hours in New Members Port Townsend Harbor to watch the start of the race in June. Many of us visited the R2AK web site regularly to follow the ups and downs and trials and tribulations of the hardy souls who kept going north, by paddle or sail, against high odds and a mighty wind. Oysterfest, SYC You may remember October 3-4 that there were several requests at the May Meeting for Jake to come Board Meeting back and tell us how the October 6 whole thing turned out. I’m happy to say that he’ll be with us at the Fall Series Race 4 October Meeting to share October 10 the stories of those first start noon intrepid folks who competed in the race. He may even give us a hint General Meeting or two whether it will October 13 happen again — and when! Visitors Welcome Laser at the Black Star Regatta photo: Steve Worcester Doors open at 1830, Meeting starts 1900 Micki McNaughton, The Stargazer Meeting Parking : If you are not an OYC member you can not park in the OYC lot. You can Star Fleet Meeting park in the lot behind OYC for $3.00. October 14 Commodore’s Corner: Crew 1830 Viewpoint Room Maybe you are new to racing, south sound, or sailing. I’ve been sailing and racing for only 8 years, with a 30 year break between my first 4 years. Are you ready for a sailboat race but Eagle Island Race don’t have a boat, yet, or want a bit more experience before you brave the waters on your October 17 own? Try crewing for another boat! With my crewing perspective, I can help you learn the ropes and knots of crewing. Anytime you have a sailboat race just clear your busy day schedule, this is sailing, it takes Halloween Cruise all day! If you want to watch racing from a non-racing boat, there is usually space available on October 31 - November 1 the race committee boat. (BYOB - bring your own binoculars…and drinks!) For crewing, there are three things that I believe, if put into good practice, will make you a nicely salted sailor in no time: comfort, safety, and practice. Board Meeting The key to a great first experience crewing is being comfortable with the boat under your November 3 feet, the crew by your side, and the knowledge that you will have a good time out on the water. Help make yourself comfortable by familiarizing yourself with the workings of the General Meeting boat, and your own equipment, before setting out on that first real race. Periodically, I try on my equipment, off-shore gear, life vest, etc, on dry land and familiarize myself with November 10 everything about them: pockets, level of water-proofing, functionality, how it feels, and Visitors Welcome potential snag points. Doors open at 1830, Meeting starts 1900 Find a sailboat that fits your crewing preferences and comforts. I like fall and winter races the most with basic comforts, galley, toilet, and heat. In sailing, it is important to know what feels comfortable, from life vests to boat types, as well as your skills and boundaries. Once Dues Due you’ve mastered skills in your own comfort zone, start stepping outside of it. Still $45 or $80 with annual Race fee RECIPROCAL REVIEW : SSSS CALENDARS : NEW BOAT DELIVERY Ship-to-Shore October 2015 There are several racing categories and I Secretary’s Report: Once you’ve renewed, you can get a split them into the spinnaker and non- copy of the 2015-2016 handbook. For spinnaker races. For the last four years, I’ve Dues Due this year the front section and PHRF enjoyed the non-spinnaker D-Class racing the Have you renewed your Membership for section have been revised. Portsmith most. Experience new things that challenge the 2015-2016 SSSS year? Please do so as Dinghy and Budd Inlet Star fleet you, whether it is big or small. For me, that soon as possible so you can so you can sections are unchanged from last year. meant crewing on a spinnaker class boat. retain your Membership benefits without Copies of all of these sections are Now, my next skill is to actually learn how to interruption. You can find a Membership available. trim a spinnaker under racing conditions. form in my on line article. Print it and bring If you have any questions or Here at SSSS we are lucky to have among it to the next Meeting. Or renew on line. concerns regarding membership, e- us Members from all conceivable Also, if you know sailors who are not mail me at [email protected]. backgrounds and professions. I’ve spent my Members, invite them to join; we’d love to life working in the computer guy industry, have them on board. Mike Buffo but here I don’t feel like I need to be anywhere near a computer while out sailing. Sailing is a way to leave RC Report your worries on the shore, where I’m a temporary fill in for they get pummeled by the surf until Kyle this fall as RC chair for they are little and smooth. Kyle. Jeff Johnson remains Safety is part of the never ending Assistant for this year. story, debate, and challenge of We want to thank those boating. Years ago, I started with a who have already used the simple foam based life vest under a phone, e-mail, or the monthly PVC jacket and now I have an off- Meetings to sign up for RC shore suit with an automatic committee boat duty. If you inflatable vest and personal AIS have not yet signed up, last transmitter. It has taken me some chance before being assigned time to figure out what safety to an unfilled slot is the gear/gadgets/mods worked for me. October Meeting! We have I’ve purchased my equipment from some new or returning boats boat swaps, local retailer, and this fall so we don’t known Crew Award winners at the September Meeting manufactured some on my own. left to right: Courtney Sanders, Justin Hinchcliffe, Patrick Connolly. how many racers we will SSSS offers safety training Clark McPhearson with the mike photo: Don Waterhouse have to fill all 32 of duty throughout the year within a venue slots. Hopefully we will have or as clinics. The annual LifeSling clinic enough so no one will have to do two. In the past we’ve exempted newbies their first teaches safety skills which may be used for year which we would like to honor but ... If you are a newbie and feel slighted you any type of sailing. can sign up and we’ll our best to back you up with some one to one training should Crew a boat that more or less matches your you want. If you aren’t a newbie and you want some extra briefing that OK too) The level of dedication for racing. If you care learning curve is a bit steep until you’ve gotten a few races under your belt. about being on the water more than the We are trying to fold in a new resource to RC committee boat duty, Bill Sheldon racing title, seek out a team that feels the and his boat Transition. Briefly, as its been explained in other places, he will use his same. I would like to spend all my time boat and expertise to run the race if you supply the crew to do the many hands-on sailing but one does have to work and sleep. duties of the job. This duty is daunting at first and this looks like a great anti-anxiety Practice usually means crew attendance. If pill to me. Once you’ve done it, a lot of the mystery of our unique system makes a you do end up needing to cancel after signing lot more sense, so there is some advantage to doing it early Bill can facilitate that. on to a crew, it is considered good form to He’ll be looking for your help with crewing it up in the Island Series and the Inlet give at least a forty-eight hour notice. It goes Series first. without saying the more you practice, the By now you should be aware that this year’s races have been shuffled around from more second nature comfortable safety and previous years. i.e. Fall Series Race 1 before the September Meeting or Hope Island sailing become per boat. Every boat is on January 2! There’s more. My hint is get a Thera calendar if there are any left. different. Talk to the captain about the I have had a good summer attracting some eager new racing sailors. I’d like to specific safety procedures; review the float keep them all. But they’re too good of prospects for me to keep them attached to me plan; and any medical issues you may have. as reserves and not get them on boats that will provide them with full time crew Where can you can do all three of these? spots.